Protector spreader for umbrellas



P. M. WILLIS PROTECTOR SPREADER FOR UMBRELLAS Filed Jn. 5, 1927 Patented Nov. 8, 41927.

imanes PATRICIA M. IVILLIS, OFSAII FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ROTECTOR SPREADER FOR UMBRELLAS.

Application inea January 5, 1327. .serial no. 159,070.

`.My invention relates to spreaders especially adapted for canopies of the foldingframe type, and particularly for umbrellas and parasols. j j f in umbrella vwhen not in use isset aside in folded condition; that is to say, 'its frame is collapsed and its cover hangs in folds, loosely about it. For longer periods of disuse, or for the sake of neatness when carried about, the folds of the cover are usually compressed into small compass, by ceiling pressure about the collapsed frame. In any case, the repeated, and often long continued partial or complete collapse of the umbrella tends to wear the cover in the creases of its folds, so that it often happens that an um brella, otherwise in good condition, may be injured as far as its cover is concerned, long before the real period of its normal'life is reached.

The object of my invention is to prevent this wear and injury to the cover; and to this end my invention consists in a novel` frame having a hub adapted for 4an encircling lit about the collapsed spreading links of the folding frame, anda periphery comprising an annular series of lobes adapted to enter the folds ofsthe cover and hold their creases spread.

In the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made, I show my protector spreader as constructed of a continuous piece such as a wire, but it is to be understood that this is only one structural instance of the device, and which, for several reasons,

may be a preferred form, though the device,

obviously .may be stamped ont of sheet metal or otherwise made, such changes being Within the knowledge of those skilled in the art; and they may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention 'as defined by the claims appended. hereto.

In the drawings Fig. l is a perspective view of my device.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 8, when the ydevice is applied to an umbrella.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section' of the same.

F ig. l is a detail view showing the wire.

secured hub laps of the lobes.

\ The device comprises a central annular hub or ring l and radiating lobes 2. l

As shown clearly in Fig. 2 it may be made of a continuous wire progressively lapping 1n the hub or ring center and extending radially on each side of the lap to form the lobes. The laps are retained by light wires l `as indicated in Figgl. 3 is the umbrella staff et are the spreading ribs; and 5 are the spreading links of the skeleton frame of the umbrella. Indicated in dotted lines is the cover G of the umbrella. The ring l of my protector spreader, when the umbrella frame,

is collapsed, iits over the lower portion of the link series 5 and is held in place thereon by frictional contact with the .divergent links, which by their normal tendency to spread insures, for all practical purposes, the positional stability of the device. The lobes 2 of the spreader extend outwardly between the ribs t of the umbrella frame, and into the folds of the cover 6, thus holding said folds distended and preventing injurious creasing.

I claim l. In combination with the sta1f,-spread ing ribs, spreading links and ycover `of an umbrella, a cover-protector frame comprising an `annular hub, fitting around said spreading links and an annular series of lobes projecting radially from said hub into the cover to spread lits folds.

2. In combination with thestaif, spreading ribs, spreading links and cover of an umbrella, a cover-protector frame comprising a single continuous flexible member bent to form an annular hub fitting around said spreading links, said memberv successively lapping upon itself in the periphery of the hub and thence extending to form an annu lar series of radial lobes projectinginto the cover to spread its folds.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

PATRICIA M. WrLLis. 

